Toothbrush with toothpaste dispenser



Feb. 14, 1961 J. c. oNEAL TooTHBRUsH WITH TooTHPAsTE DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8, 1958 .w Mlm NVENTR. QMES L. 'NEM.

Feb. 14, 1961 J, C, ONEAL TOOTHBRUSH WITH TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1958 w \N n N INVENTOR. JAMES C. ONEAL.

ce fr 2,971,518

Patented Feb. 14, 1961 TOOTHBRUSH WITH TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER James C. ONeal, 28061/2 Ensley Ave., Birmingham, Ala.

Filed Sept. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 759,814

8 Claims. (Cl. 132-84) This invention relates to a toothbrush with toothpaste dispenser having the following outstanding characteristics:

(1) The invention is sanitary-The brush can be washed, as ordinary toothbrushes are, and, because the flexible end of a secondary piston fits all the way into the toothpaste channel, even protrudes upward into the extension of 'the channel in the brush when the brush is being used, when being washed, and when not in use, no impurities can enter the inside of the brush. A lock von the handle holds the piston in this sanitary position while the brush is not being used whereby each amount of paste that is pushed up and onto the bristles will be clean and pure.

(2) A measuring chamber regulates the amount of paste that is deposited on the bristles, and the size of the measuring chamber can vary to suit any particular cleansing dentifrice. This regulation is activated by the spring mechanism encased within the primary piston of the plunger.

(3) The amount of dentifrice that can be stored or carried in my dispenser is limited only by the size of the handle, which size can vary at the discretion of the manufacturer.

(4) The toothbrush and dispenser can be inexpensively manufactured and sold `at popular prices.

(5) The toothbrush and dispenser canbe packed in a traveling bag, purse, or shaving kit, without danger of dentifrice being spilled on other items', and also without danger of damage from other items spilling on it.

(6) This invention provides toothpaste purchasers with a capless tube, which is an improved idea in packaging and merchandising.

A toothbrush embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Figure l is' a longitudinal cross-section View of the toothbrush showing the same in the cocking or loading position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-section View showing the plunger head having gone through the measuring chamber 12 and deposited the measured amount of dentifrice in the brushhead channel 13;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-section view showing the ileXible end 1 of the plunger within the brushhead channel 13, the handle 14 locked, and the paste on the free ends of bristles of toothbrush ready for use, the toothbrush being used, washed, and stored in this position;

Figure 4 is an end view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3, the handle end of the invention, and showing the locking mechanism 15;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-section view taken generally along the line 5 5 of Figure 6, showing the secondary piston shaft 18, the space 19 occupied by the flexible extension of the secondary piston, and the primary pston 16;

Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section View through the primary and secondary pistons showing in more detail the flexible head 11 of the secondary pis- .ton, the primary piston 16 with the spring 21 encased therein, the operating rod 18 of the secondary piston, and the locking mechanism 15 attached thereto; and,

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-section view taken generally along the line 7-7 of Figure 3 showing the operating rod 18 of the secondary piston 17, the space 22 between the operating rod and the primary piston, the primary piston, the guide 32 and brace for the primary piston, and the shell 20 of the dispenser.

As can be seen from the drawings, the invention consists of three main parts: (I) a handle 20 which comprises a housing 14 for the dentifrice, the measuring chamber 12, and the primary 16 and secondary 17 pistons, (Il) the brushhead 23 which comprises' the bristles 24 and the toothpaste channel 13, and (lll) the plunger which is made up of the primary 16 and secondary 17 pistons and the operating spring 21. The spring 21 is a compression spring and surrounds the rod 18 intermediate a stop ring 31 carried by the rod 18 and a shoulder 34 on the inner surface of the primary piston 16, whereby the primary piston 16 moves with the secondary piston 17 until the primary piston engages the base 26 of the brushhead. The secondary piston 17 may then be forced outwardly of the primary piston 16 into the toothpaste channel 13 by compressing spring 21, as shown in Fig. 3. Spring 21 is shown as being uncompressed in Figs. l and 2. A suitable protective cover, which is not shown may be provided to t over and fasten onto the brushhead 23. The drawing shows the brushhead with threads 25 at its base 26. The toothbrush may also be made with the brush and handle all in one piece. The primary piston 16 rides' in a suitable guide 32 which is mounted within the housing 14 of the handle 20, as shown.

When the housing 14 is filled with dentifrice and ready for use, the user will first unlock the locking mechanism 15 at the back end of the handle, then pull back on the lockv end of the plunger rod 18 and while the plunger is being pulled back through the opening -22 in the primary piston v16 the operating spring 21 will automatically push the secondary piston 17 back into the opening 19 in the primary piston 16 as far as the base 26 of the brushhead l23 so that the `end of the liexible extension 11 of the secondary piston 17 will become lllush with the face 27 of the primary piston. As the plunger is pulled al1 `the way back, the face of the plunger as just described is pulled away from the base 26 of the brushhead 23, through and out of the measuring chamber 12, allowing the chamber 12 to lill with paste, as shown in Fig. l. At this point, when the plunger is pushed forward, the paste in the chamber 12, which is the right amount for one brushing of the teeth with the toothbrush, is pushed into the toothpaste channel 13 of the brushhead 23. As the primary piston 16 is being pushed through the chamber, its face 27 and the face of the llexible extension 11 of the secondary piston are flush, and the spring 21 is strong enough to prevent the pressure on the piston going forward from causing the face 27 of the primary piston to fall back behind the end of the ilexible extension 11 of the secondary piston. When the face 27 of the primary piston 16 is pushed the full length of the measuring chamber, the base 26 of the brushhead 23 will stop the primary piston 16. The opening in the brushhead for the toothpaste channel 13 is just large enough for the flexible end 11 of the secondary p-iston 17 to enter with minimum tolerance so as to be water-tight. Pushing the operating rod 18 into the locking position will force the flexible end 11 of the secondary piston through the channel 13 and up into a soft exible extension 28 of theA toothpaste channel 13, pushing the paste onto the bristles 24. The plunger is then locked-in place by the locking mechanism 15. The brush can now be used, washed, and packed away until the next use.

The entrance y29 to the measuring chamber i2 is beveled and acts as a funnel through which the paste may be guided into the chamber 12. Also, it guides the primary piston 16 into the chamber 12. The chamber surrounds the primary piston of the same shape with minimum tolerance so as not to allow the dentifrice to escape to the rear. Preferably, the chamber 12 is cylindrical and empties into the brushhead channel at the base of the brushhead which is the end of the chamber 12 and the shoulders of the channel of the brushhead.

The secondary piston has one stopring 31 toward the handle end of the operating rod to contain and activate the spring against the back on shoulder 34 of the recess in the primary piston.

Having thus described the invention, l claim:

1. A toothbrush with dentifrice dispenser comprising an elongated handle having a dentifrice chamber therein, a brushhead on one end of said handle, there being a measuring chamber intermediate said dentifrice chamber and said brushhead and in communication with said dentifrice chamber for receiving a predetermined amount of dentifrice, a curved passageway in said brushhead communicating at one end with said measuring chamber and terminating at the other end thereof adjacent the bristles of said brushhead, a reciprocable plunger disposed to move from said dentifrice chamber into said measuring chamber whereby the dentifrice is forced out of said measuring chamber into said passageway, an elongated flexible member carried by said reciprocable plunger and adapted for movement into said curved passageway, means for moving said plunger into said measuring chamber, and means for moving said llexible member into said passageway after said plunger forces the dentifrice out of said measuring chamber whereby the dentifrice is discharged onto the bristles of said brushhead and said passageway is closed.

2. A toothbrush with dentifrice dispenser as defined in claim 1 in which the end ofthe curved passageway that terminates adjacent the bristles of the brushhead communicates with one end of a flexible tubular extension, said tubular extension extending generally parallel to the bristles of said brushhead.

3. A toothbrush with dentifrice dispenser as defined i in claim 1 in which the means for moving the plunger and flexible member comprises an actuating rod which extends through the end of the handle opposite the end thereof carrying the brushhead.

4. A toothbrush with dentifrice dispenser as defined in claim 3 in which a lock member is' provided adjacent the end of the handle for locking the actuating rod within 4 the handle, whereby said passageway is closed by said ilexible member while the actuating rod is thus locked.

5. A toothbrush with dentifrice dispenser as defined in claim 4 in which the flexible member is operatively connected to the plunger by a spring member whereby the flexible member moves out of said passageway upon release of the lock member.

6. A toothbrush with dentifrice dispenser comprising an elongated handle having a dentifrice chamber therein, a brushhead on one end of said handle, there being a measuring chamber intermediate said dentifrice chamber and said brushhead and in communication with said dentifrice chamber for receiving a predetermined amount of dentifrice, a curved passageway in said brushhead communicating at one end with said measuring chamber and terminating at the other end thereof adjacent the bristles of said brushhead, a cylindrical plunger disposed for reciprocatory movement from said dentifrice chamber into said measuring chamber whereby the dentifrice 'is forced out of said measuring chamber into said passageway, an elongated flexible member extending through said cylindrical plunger and adapted for reciprocatory movement into said passageway, means to move said plunger from said dentifrice chamber into said measuring chamberand means to move said liexible member into said passageway after said plunger forces the dentifrice out of said measuring chamber whereby the dentifrice is discharged onto the bristles of said brushhead and said passageway is closed.

7. A toothbrush with dentifrice dispenser as defined in claim 6 in which the flexible member is urged inwardly of said cylindrical plunger by a spring member.

8. A toothbrush with dentifrice dispenser comprising an elongated handle having a dentifrice chamber therein,

a brushhead on one end of said handle, there being a measuring chamber intermediate said dentifrice chamber and said brushhead and in communication with said dentifrice chamber for receiving a predetermined amount of dentifrice, a curved passageway in said brushhead communicating said measuring chamber with said brushhead, means transferring said dentifrice from said dentifrice chamber to said measuring chamber, and an elongated flexible plunger adapted for reciprocatory movement into said curved passageway for transferring the dentifrice onto the bristles of said brushhead.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,396,474- Tibbetts NOV. 8, 1921 1,918,069 Wallace July l1, 1933 2,033,197 Kinkade Mar. 10, 1936 2,274,790 Housley Mar. 3, 1942 2,278,253 Ellsworth Mar. 31, 1,942 2,328,048 Bair Aug. 3l, 1943 2,642,607 Bozzalla June 23, 1953 2,665,442 Martino Jan. 12, 1954 

